# 1878–79 Scottish Cup

The 1878–79 Scottish Cup – officially the Scottish Football Association Challenge Cup – was the sixth season of Scotland's most prestigious football knockout competition. Defending champions Vale of Leven met Rangers in the final but, after a 1–1 draw in the original match on 19 April 1879, the replay was scratched and Vale of Leven were awarded the cup. Rangers objected to a goal being disallowed in the original match and refused to play the replay.
This was the second consecutive season that more than 100 teams entered the competition with a record 126 clubs competing.

## Format

As with the previous competitions, the sixth edition of the Scottish Cup took on the format of a traditional knockout tournament. For the earlier rounds, the names of competing teams were placed into lots according to their districts and drawn into pairs. The home team for each tie was determined by the toss of a coin unless it was mutually agreed or only one of the two clubs drawn against one another had a private ground. In the event of a draw, the team who lost the toss would have the choice of ground for the replay. A similar procedure was used for subsequent rounds however, any club which had received a bye in the previous round would first be drawn against one of the winners of the previous round. The names of winning teams were placed into one lot for later rounds. The choice of venue for the final matches was reserved to the Scottish Football Association.

### Calendar

The exact dates of some matches are unknown as newspaper coverage of football in the late 19th century was not as comprehensive as it would become.
| Round | First match date | Fixtures | Fixtures | Fixtures | Clubs |
| Round | First match date | Original | Byes | Replays | Clubs |
| First Round | 21 September 1878 | 59 | 7 | 8 | 126 → 68 |
| Second Round | 12 October 1878 | 33 | 2 | 2 | 68 → 34 |
| Third Round | 2 November 1878 | 16 | 2 | 0 | 34 → 18 |
| Fourth Round | 30 November 1878 | 9 | 0 | 1 | 18 → 10 |
| Fifth Round | 22 December 1878 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 10 → 5 |
| Quarter-finals | 22 March 1879 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 5 → 3 |
| Semi-finals | 29 March 1879 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 3 → 2 |
| Final | 19 April 1879 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 → 1 |
* Both Glasgow and Edinburgh University were given byes to the third round.
* Clydesdale and Dennistoun were both disqualified from the competition without playing their first round tie.
* Six teams qualified for the second round after drawing their first round replay.
* Glengowan and Airdrie were both disqualified from the competition after their second round tie.
* Both Partick and Stonelaw were reinstated in the fifth round after Thistle were disqualified.

## Teams

All 126 teams entered the competition in the first round.
| Ayrshire | Dunbartonshire | Glasgow and Suburbs | Glasgow and Suburbs | Lanarkshire | Renfrewshire |
| Auchinleck Boswell Ayr Academicals Ayr Thistle Beith Catrine Cumnock Dean Girvan Hurlford Kilbirnie Kilmarnock Kilmarnock Athletic Kilmarnock Portland Lanemark Mauchline Maybole Carrick Maybole Ladywell Tarbolton Burntonians | Alclutha Alexandria Dumbarton Helensburgh Jamestown Kilmaronock Thistle Lennox Renton Renton Thistle Star of Leven Vale of Leven 10th Dumbarton RV | Ailsa Albatross Alexandra Athletic Blackfriars Blythswood Burnside Caledonian Clyde Clydesdale Dennistoun Derby Glasgow University Govan Govanhill Lacrosse Havelock John Elder Jordanhill Kelvinbank Northern Oxford Parkgrove | Partick Petershill Pollokshields Athletic Possil Bluebell Possilpark Queen's Park Rangers Rosslyn Shaftesbury South Western Stonefield Telegraphists Thistle Union Wellpark Whitefield Whiteinch 1st Lanark RV 3rd Lanark RV 4th Renfrew RV 19th Lanark RV | Airdrie Avondale Clarkston Drumpellier East Kilbride Glengowan Hamilton Academical Mount Vernon Newmains Shotts Stonelaw Uddingston Upper Clydesdale | Arthurlie Barrhead Busby Cartvale Glenkilloch Levern Morton Pollokshaws Port Glasgow Renfrew Thornliebank Wellington Park 17th Renfrew RV 23rd Renfrew RV |
| Dumfriesshire | Edinburgh | Forfarshire | Perthshire | Stirlingshire | Wigtownshire |
| Annan Wanderers Queen of the South Wanderers | Brunswick Dunfermline Edinburgh Thistle Edinburgh University Hanover Heart of Midlothian Hibernian Swifts 3rd Edinburgh RV | Arbroath Dundee Our Boys St Clement's | Clifton & Strathfillan Coupar Angus Rob Roy Vale of Teith | Campsie Glen Falkirk Grasshoppers Lenzie Shaughraun Strathblane Thistle Athletic | Cree Rovers Stranraer |

## First round

In total, there were 59 first round ties after five teams received a bye to the second round, Pollokshaws disbanded before the competition began and Glasgow University and Edinburgh University received a bye to the third round. However, only 51 ties were played after Girvan, Blythswood, Stranraer, Maybole Carrick, Star of Leven, 4th Renfrew RV and Govanhill Lacrosse scratched to Catrine, Clyde, Cree Rovers, Mauchline, Renton, Stonefield and Wellpark respectively. Dennistoun were drawn to play Clydesdale but both teams scratched and were eliminated from the competition.
Two-time defending champions Vale of Leven began the competition with a 6–0 home win against Alclutha from Dumbarton on 21 September 1878. On the same day, Queen's Park – who were looking to regain the trophy they had last won in 1876 – had a similarly convincing win as they saw off Kelvinbank 8–0. Rangers defeated Shaftesbury 3–0 at Kinning Park a week later while there were big wins for Kilmarnock Portland (9–0 vs. Dean), Upper Clydesdale (12–0 vs. Newmains) and Whitefield (10–0 vs. Telegraphists).

### Matches
#### Glasgow and Suburbs

Burnside received a bye to the second round and Glasgow University to the third round.

#### Edinburgh district

Edinburgh University received a bye to the third round.

#### Lanarkshire district

Clarkston received a bye to the second round.

#### Stirlingshire district

Shaugraun received a bye to the second round.

#### Forfarshire district

St Clement's received a bye to the second round.

#### Perthshire district
### Replays
#### Renfrewshire district
##### Notes

* ^ A-Both sides withdrew from the competition.
* ^ B-Both teams advanced to the second round.
Sources:

## Second round

The second round began on 12 October 1878 with Govan's 2–1 over Oxford. Most of the ties were played a week later. Queen's Park defeated Pollokshields Athletic 6–0 at Hampden Park while Rangers won 6–1 at home to Whitefield. Vale of Leven recorded the biggest win of the round as they thumped Renton Thistle 11–0 at North Street Park on 26 October.
With an even number of teams in the draw, no byes were awarded but not every team would play a match. St Clement's scratched from their tie with Arbroath before Shotts scratched from their replay with Clarkston after the teams had drawn 1–1 on 19 October. Glengowan defeated Airdrie 2–0 away from home but neither side advanced as both were disqualified and, despite losing 5–0 to South Western, a protest from Petershill was upheld and a replay was ordered. South Western also won the replay 8–0.

### Matches
#### Glasgow and Suburbs

Glasgow University received a bye to the third round.

#### Edinburgh district

Edinburgh University received a bye to the third round.

#### Wigtownshire and Dumfriesshire districts
### Replays
#### Lanarkshire district
##### Notes

* ^ C-Both sides were disqualified from the competition after the referee stopped the match early because of violent play.
* ^ D-Abandoned after 30 minutes. 3rd Edinburgh RV conceded the tie.
Sources:

## Third round

Two teams received a bye to the fourth round while Glasgow University scratched from their tie with Queen's Park. The third round began on 2 November 1878 as 3rd Lanark RV defeated South Western 2–1 at Cathkin Park. A week later, free-scoring Vale of Leven took their tally for the competition to 32 goals after a thumping 15–0 win over Jamestown at North Street Park setting a new Scottish Cup record for the biggest margin of victory in the process. Rangers defeated Parkgrove 8–2 while Beith recorded a 7–1 triumph over Barrhead.
Although Thistle defeated Partick 2–1 on 16 November and did play in and win their fourth round tie, they were later disqualified from the competition with Partick reinstated in the fifth round.

### Matches
#### Ayrshire, Dumfriesshire and Renfrewshire districts

Renfrew received a bye to the fourth round.

#### Lanarkshire, Dunbartonshire, Stirlingshire and Perthshire districts

Rob Roy received a bye to the fourth round.

#### Edinburgh and Forfarshire districts

Sources:

## Fourth round

Most fourth round ties were played on 30 November 1878 and, with an even number of teams, there were no byes awarded. Vale of Leven continued their fine form, recording a third consecutive double-figures win, as they defeated Govan 11–1 conceding a goal for the first time in the process. Beith were the last Ayrshire team standing after thumping Kilmarnock Athletic 9–1 while Mauchline lost 5–0 to Queen's Park and Kilmarnock Portland lost 6–1 in a replay to Dumbarton. Similarly, Hibernian became the last Edinburgh club standing after thumping Rob Roy 9–0 while Heart of Midlothian lost 2–1 to Helensburgh. Rangers defeated Alexandra Athletic 3–0.
Thistle, who had defeated Partick in the previous round, were disqualified from the competition following their 2–0 win over Stonelaw and both Partick and Stonelaw were reinstated.

### Replay
#### Notes

* ^ E-Thistle were disqualified from the competition and both Stonelaw and Partick were reinstated.
Sources:

## Fifth round

All five fifth round matches were played on 8 March 1879. Dumbarton reached the quarter-finals for the first time in three seasons with a 9–1 win at home to Stonelaw while fellow Dunbartonshire club Helensburgh defeated the last remaining Edinburgh side, Hibernian, 2–1 away from home. Queen's Park played 3rd Lanark RV in a replay of the 1876 final at Hampden Park and they eased through with a 5–0 win while Rangers defeated Partick 4–0. Holders Vale of Leven defeated Beith 6–1 at North Street Park.

### Matches

Sources:

## Quarter-finals

With just five teams left, there were only two quarter-final ties and Helensburgh received a bye to the semi-finals. Both games were played on 22 March 1879. Queen's Park's quest to regain the trophy was ended by Glasgow rivals Rangers as Dunlop scored the only of the game at Hampden Park to see them through to the semi-finals. They were joined by Vale of Leven as the defending champions eased passed Dunbartonshire rivals Dumbarton with a 3–1 win at North Street Park.

### Matches

Sources:

## Semi-final

For the third consecutive season, there was just one semi-final played and Rangers, for the second time, received a bye to the final. Helensburgh hosted Dunbartonshire rivals Vale of Leven but they were no match for a Vale side targeting a third consecutive title as they succumbed to a 3–0 loss at Kirkmichael Park.

### Matches

Sources:

## Final

Hampden Park in Glasgow again played host to the Scottish Cup final as Vale of Leven faced Rangers in a rematch of the 1877 final on 19 April 1879. That tie took three matches to decide and it initially looked like this year's final would be no different after goals from Struthers and Ferguson saw the teams draw 1–1 in front of 6,000 spectators. However, Rangers had been incensed by the referee's decision to disallow a goal and refused to play the replay, scheduled for 26 April. As a result, Vale of Leven were awarded the trophy, their third success in three years.